The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced that the government will revoke all mining licenses issued since December 7, 2024, as part of a comprehensive strategy to tackle illegal mining and reform the small-scale mining sector.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, Mr. Buah disclosed that a Working Committee set up to review the current licensing regime has submitted its findings, which have exposed significant flaws and abuse within the system.
The committee's recommendations, aimed at ensuring a more transparent and community-beneficial mining framework, will guide the government's next steps.
Revocation of Licenses and Disbandment of Community Mining Schemes
According to the Minister, all mining licenses granted since December 7, 2024, will be revoked as part of a broader cleanup of the sector.
Additionally, the government has decided to disband all existing Community Mining Schemes (CMS), which were originally established to benefit local communities but have failed to fulfill that purpose.
"Findings from the Working Committee indicate that these schemes are only Community Mining Schemes in name, with little to no benefit to the communities they were intended to serve," he stated.
To replace the CMS, the government will establish Small-Scale Cooperatives, which will be formed after thorough consultations with local communities to ensure they properly reflect and serve community interests.
Formation of a Technical Small-Scale Mining Review Committee
To address the existing irregularities in the licensing regime, the Minister announced the formation of a Technical Small-Scale Mining Review Committee tasked with reviewing all small-scale mining licenses.
The committee will be chaired by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Yusif Sulemana, and will be deputized by a Director from the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology.
The committee will comprise representatives from the Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Water Resources Commission, Forestry Commission, and the Attorney General’s office.
"The committee will audit all licenses to ensure that due process was followed, environmental and land preservation standards were met, and permitting fees were duly paid,"
"Licensees are expected to cooperate fully with the committee within the two-month review period, or risk having their licenses revoked."
New Classification for Mining Licenses
In addition to the licensing review, the Minister disclosed that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology, will establish a new classification system for the Small-Scale Mining (SSM) regime.
Under the new framework, licenses will be classified into three categories:
Small Scale
Medium Scale
Large Scale
This classification aims to streamline the licensing process and improve regulatory oversight within the mining sector.
Mr. Buah emphasized that these measures are part of the government’s broader strategy to sanitize the mining sector, protect the environment, and ensure that local communities benefit from natural resource extraction.
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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